Magyar Nagykövetség - Washington DC

International Community Must Engage United States on the Paris Climate Agreement

Publicated on: June 16, 2017

Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó strongly urged the international community to begin negotiations with the United States on the conditions under which the US would be prepared to shoulder at least part of their previously undertaken obligations under the terms of the Paris Climate Agreement. Hungary was the first EU country to ratify the Paris Agreement.

“No matter the constant barrage of criticism, the President of the United States will not revoke his decision. Now we must approach the issue pragmatically and realistically, and ask ourselves how we can achieve the best possible results in the current circumstances with relation to the Paris Agreement,” said Foreign Minister Szijjártó speaking ahead of the European Union Artic Conference in Oulu, Finland on Thursday, June 15.

“Instead of continuously criticizing and attacking the U.S. President, Hungary is strongly urging the international community to begin negotiations with the United States on the conditions under which it would at least be prepared to take part in the Paris climate agreement,” added Szijjártó.

At the European Union Arctic Conference, Foreign Minister Szijjártó highlighted that events beyond the Arctic Circle are beginning to have extremely serious economic, energy, security and environmental effects on the whole of Europe and that it is for these reasons Hungary was the first EU member to ratify the Paris Agreement.

Prior to the Conference, Foreign Minister Szijjártó met with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini to discuss the acceleration of the EU enlargement process.

“Hungary is one of the greatest supporters of the integration process of the Western Balkan countries, and as the next President of the Visegrád Group (V4) one of our priorities will be to support and accelerate the integration of countries in the region,” said Szijjártó.